evidently been hanging to its mother when she first fell. Luckily it did not appear
to have been wounded, and after we had cleaned the mud out of its mouth it
began to cry out, and seemed quite strong and active. While carrying it home it
got its hands in my beard, and grasped so tightly that I had great difficulty in
getting free, for the fingers are habitually bent inwards at the last joint so as to
form complete hooks. At this time it had not a single tooth, but a few days
afterwards it cut its two lower front teeth. Unfortunately, I had no milk to give it,
as neither Malays, Chinese nor Dyaks ever use the article, and I in vain inquired
for any female animal that could suckle my little infant. I was therefore obliged
to give it rice-water from a bottle with a quill in the cork, which after a few trials
it learned to suck very well. This was very meagre diet, and the little creature did
not thrive well on it, although I added sugar and cocoa-nut milk occasionally, to
make it more nourishing. When I put my finger in its mouth it sucked with great
vigour, drawing in its cheeks with all its might in the vain effort to extract some
milk, and only after persevering a long time would it give up in disgust, and set
up a scream very like that of a baby in similar circumstances.
When handled or nursed, it was very quiet and contented, but when laid down
by itself would invariably cry; and for the first few nights was very restless and
noisy. I fitted up a little box for a cradle, with a soft mat for it to lie upon, which
was changed and washed every day; and I soon found it necessary to wash the
little Mias as well. After I had done so a few times, it came to like the operation,
and as soon as it was dirty would begin crying and not leave off until I took it
out and carried it to the spout, when it immediately became quiet, although it
would wince a little at the first rush of the cold water and make ridiculously wry
faces while the stream was running over its head. It enjoyed the wiping and
rubbing dry amazingly, and when I brushed its hair seemed to be perfectly
happy, lying quite still with its arms and legs stretched out while I thoroughly
brushed the long hair of its back and arms. For the first few days it clung
desperately with all four hands to whatever it could lay hold of, and I had to be
careful to keep my beard out of its way, as its fingers clutched hold of hair more
tenaciously than anything else, and it was impossible to free myself without
assistance. When restless, it would struggle about with its hands up in the air
trying to find something to take hold of, and, when it had got a bit of stick or rag
in two or three of its hands, seemed quite happy. For want of something else, it
would often seize its own feet, and after a time it would constantly cross its arms
and grasp with each hand the long hair that grew just below the opposite
shoulder. The great tenacity of its grasp soon diminished, and I was obliged to
invent some means to give it exercise and strengthen its limbs. For this purpose I